This post contains affiliate links. For more information please read my full disclosure.

19 Exciting Gifts for Active Kids

Gifts for Active Preschool Kids

Ring Toss Game

The Ring Toss Game is fun for the entire family. After all if your kids are anything like mine, they adore throwing things. So instead of dealing with paper planes flying across the house, set up this ring toss game in the yard.

Encourage the kids to toss rings, calculate points, and have a great time outside. These make perfect gifts for active kids!

Trampoline

Encourage your kids to jump with this 3 ft Trampoline designed for 3-6 year olds. Just set it up in the house and let your bouncing babies to jump to their heart’s content. No more babies bouncing on the sofa, jumping off the ottoman, or leaping across chairs.

They’ll now have a fun, safe, and sane way to jump on the trampoline for hours.

Standing Easel

This Standing Easel is great fun for preschoolers and elementary kids. Clip paper onto the easel for painting. Pull out the chalk and draw silly pictures on the chalkboard. Hand your kids dry erase markers to draw on the dry-erase board.

Your active kids will enjoy doing artwork when they’re standing at an easel.

River Stones

Have your children ever tossed pillows on the floor in a desperate attempt to keep out of the lava? Mine certainly have! These river stones make the perfect gift for kids trapped indoors. Kids can pretend to cross lava, dance across rocks over a river, or create an obstacle course in the house.

Save your pilllows and gift your children with these river stones. Everyone will enjoy hours of fun.

Super Sand Digger

Do you have a child fascinated with construction? I do! My sons have spent hours digging in the sandbox pretending they were construction workers digging a ditch.

This super sand digger makes pretending even more real when the kids actually dig like they’re using heavy equipment to dig a foundation for a skyscraper or pretend they’re Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel.

Hopper Ball Bouncing Toy

Did you ever play with one of bouncing ball toys for kids from 3-6 when you were small? I don’t know about you but I spent hours of fun bouncing around on these balls. They’re perfect for cold winter days when the weather keeps you indoors. They are relatively inexpensive so can get multiple gifts for active kids in your life.

Instead of having kids bouncing around underfoot, let them bounce around the house on the Bouncing Ball!

Tootle Turtle Target Game

If you have a child who loves to throw, let them throw self-stick beanbags at this cheerful turtle target. Hold competitions to see who can score the highest number. Encourage your kids to count by throwing at specific digits.

The Tootle Turtle Target game is wonderful for active kids and teaching math at the same time!

Pogo Jumper

Give your children the gift of a pogo jumper this year. The Foam Pogo Jumper is a fun jumping toy for kids of all ages. Since it holds up to 250 lbs, you can even give it a whirl.

Learn to balance while you jump with the Pogo Jumper for a fun exercise which your kids will love.

Active Gifts for Elementary Kids

Rocket Balloon Set

If your kids love watching regular balloons shoot around the room, they’ll love Rocket Balloons! Pump up these reusable balloons up to 40 inches in length. Then let them go and watch them fly. These are an exciting outdoor toy!

This package of 85 balloons and pump makes an awesome gift for kids 8 and up.

Twister

Have you ever played Twister? It’s an old classic game that’s perfect for active kids. If you haven’t played it yet, you’re missing an exciting game that tests your flexibility. One child spins to find out which hand or foot goes on which color. The players’ challenge is to remain upright while moving their appendages from one color to the next. The last person stand wins!

My kids adore pulling out Twister and playing a round on a rainy afternoon.

Dodge Ball Tag

My boys love playing dodge ball every chance they get. Here’s a fun gift which allows them to play dodge ball with sticky balls! Each player wears an air mesh vest and carries 3 soft and safe balls. The goal is to stick your balls to your opponent’s vest!

Dodge Ball Tag is a great gift for encouraging kids to get off the walls and heading outside to run.

Walkie Talkies

Did you ever run around the neighborhood with your friends playing spy? Walkie Talkies are the toy to have. You can chat with your friends, keep in touch with parents, and have a great time playing around the neighborhood.

A Walkie Talkie set is a classic fun toy to give to active kids.

Marble Run

Have you ever played Marble Run? The goal is to build an elaborate creation of tubes and ramps. Once it’s built, drop the marbles, and watch them roll.

It’s a game that affords hours of fun play as the kids set up the runs and watch the marbles go! Marble run is recommended for children ages 4 and up.

Construction Fort

Instead of having your active kids pulling out every blanket, book, and pillow in the house to build forts, give them a Construction Fort. The kids build an interlocking frame on which to throw the canvas.They can create a castle, tunnel, tent, or fort. This is a fun gift for historical reenactment as well.

Aimed at 5 and up, this gift will give your children hours of fun as they create and play in custom designed forts.

Dueling Stomp Rockets

Stomp rockets are simple rockets which fly from air pressure. The dueling stomp rocket allows kids to challenge each other. Who can send rockets soaring higher in the air?

This is a great gift for siblings, no bickering over who gets to stomp first!

Active Gifts for Older Kids

Croquet

My parents had a croquet set. It’s a fun game where you attempt to knock the balls between the hoops in the correct order. The first person to hit the stake at the end of the course wins the game.

This is the perfect game for lively children as well as adults. Everyone in the family, especially those over 6, will enjoy playing croquet in the backyard.

Stilts

Stilts are awesome for active kids. They develop balance and coordination while your kids are having fun seeing the world from a higher height.

Give your kids a set of stilts to walk around on this year.

Frisbee Disc

Frisbees are a wonderful gift to give to active kids of all ages. Kids can play catch with the Frisbee. As your kids age and become more skilled there are all sorts of Frisbee games they can play such as Frisbee tag or Frisbee bowling.

Give your kids a Frisbee Disc to throw around with your friends!

Laser Tag

Laser tag is a fun game for older kids to play at the park. There’s no need to worry about Nerf darts hitting an innocent spectator. Everything is done with lasers.

Your kids will love playing laser tag with their friends.

With these amazing gifts for active kids, your kids will have hours and hours of exciting play throughout the year.

What is your favorite gift for active kids?

Christmas Blessings Giveaway!

Let us help you check things off your Christmas list for FREE! I’ve partnered with a wonderful group of bloggers to bring you the Christmas Blessings Giveaway. We know the holiday season can be full of both joy and stress, and our hope is to ease that burden just a bit for a few families. Enter to win 4 $250 gift cards!

To enter, simply use the entry form below. We know it’s a long one, but each blogger personally contributed to make this giveaway happen, and your support means so much. Plus, the more entries you complete, the better your chances of winning one of the $250 prizes!

Wishing you a season full of peace, joy, and blessings!

Giveaway ends November 28th at 11:59pm ET.  Winners will be drawn and emailed the following day. The winners will have 48 hours to respond to email to claim the prize.  By entering this giveaway you will be added to the email lists of the participating bloggers. You must live in the United States or Canada to be eligible to win. 

For more Gift Ideas for Kids, Check out these Gift Guides!

Gifts for Art Lovers

Gifts for Young Sewers!

The post 19 Exciting Gifts for Active Kids and A Giveaway! first appeared on True Aim.

This post contains affiliate links that help support this site. For more information read my full disclosure.

Here are 10 unique gifts for your little artists. These art supplies are so fun, you will definitely be temped to join in the fun!

Top 10 Gifts for Little Artists

Paint Sticks

Kids love paint and parents love that these paint sticks are so convenient! These solid tempera paints in a stick are super simple to use – no water, no brushes, no spills. They are silky smooth and dry instantly so you don’t have to work about mess! 3+

Smencils Colored Pencils

Make drawing a multi-sensory activity with colored pencils that smell like all of these things: Bubble Gum, Strawberry Cupcake, Grape Soda, Jelly Donut, Cotton Candy, Watermelon, Lemon Lime Fizz, Orange Lollipop, Rootbeer, Black Cherry. You can make writing fun too with the regular Smencils Pencils.

Foam Paint

This fluffy paint doesn’t  spill and adds depth and texture to children’s artwork. It drys fast and works really well for finger painting or hand print art.

Liquid Chalk Markers

These Chalkers contain completely non-toxic ink. This is the perfect dustless marker for glass, dry erase boards, and more.

Mini Blank Books

Encourage your artist to become an author with these little blank books. My daughter loves making stories and with these books they are a lot easier to save for keepsakes.

Watercolor Crayons

Add water to these crayons to create a watercolor effect without the mess. Do you see a theme here? Mess free painting is my favorite!

Kinetic Sand

This stuff is amazing! You don’t have to worry about it getting all over the place because it sticks to itself and not on you. No water needed. Perfect for little hands to experiment.

 Air-Dry Clay

Fast drying clay that your little sculptors will love!

Boogie Board

The next generation of doodle boards, the Boogie board is a this LCD writing tablet so your little artist can doodle away without wasting paper. Their drawing will stay indefinitely until, with the touch of a button, the image is erased.

Do you have any unique art supplies that you love? Please leave a comment!

Check out my Preschool Drawing Curriculum eBooks. Get them for FREE! 

Or if you like physical books, here’s one of my favorites!

Join our online homeschool Academy for more art classes and live clubs!

The post Top 10 Gifts for Little Artists first appeared on True Aim.

There are two sides to this topic. How to make toys last longer, physically, and how to ensure your children will be interested in them for years to come.

We have 4 children and rarely ever buy new toys. That’s because we do 3 things that help make our toys last longer, and ensures our children still enjoy them year after year.

How to Make Toys Last Longer

These aren’t just frugal tips, but ways to preserve those favorite toys that you may want to give to your grandchildren someday.

1. Maybe you’ve already heard of rotating toys, but it really works. Toys that you rotate last longer and children won’t loose interest. Simply create two piles, one with toys that are classic, like building toys, art supplies, and Fisher-Price Smart Stages toys and the other pile with toys that your children loose interest in quickly, like dolls, stuffed animals, and figurines.

Put all the toys into medium sized bins and leave 1-2 bins from each pile out. Then store the rest out of the sight of your children. Rotate your toys every 1-4 months. Classic toys will require less rotating.

2. Buy toys that last. Think quality over quantity. This is easier said than done. The most difficult age to buy toys are the baby stage. They grow and develop dramatically in the first 2-yrs of life. It’s important to offer lots of learning content in these early years. So, try to find toys that will grow with your baby.

That’s why we love how Fisher-Price has added Smart Stages to their Laugh and Learn line.

This new feature allows their toys to grow with your child. The three settings match your baby’s developmental levels.

First you’ll set your baby’s age and then use the controls on the front to pick a level. Each level offers new learning content to keep your children engaged.

Level 1 – Explore – is for 12 months and covers first words and the sounds spark baby’s curiosity. Level 2 – Encourage – is for 18 months and asks simple questions and gives directions to follow. Level 3 – Pretend – is for 24 months+ and it engages with imaginative fun and early roll play.

My baby is on Level 1. He is more interested in moving the toy back and forth than listening to what it says, but he is learning simple cause and effect even if he doen’t understand the concepts just yet.

I watch another baby sometimes and can change the level for her since she is a little older. She loves level 2 because of the songs and questions.

Even my 2-year-old stays engaged with level 3 and my 4-year-old loves to use it as a chair for her baby dolls. It really is a versatile toy that I can see us using for years to come.

You can find Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Smart Stages products at major retailers like Walmart, Amazon, Target, and Toys-R-Us. Save up to $5 on any Smart Stages Laugh and Learn Toy with a coupon from Coupons.com.

3. Finally, keep indoor toys in and outdoor toys out. My kids love to bring toys outside, but they get muddy and damaged from the weather. So, we bought some real tools, like shovels, watering cans, and small buckets for play outside.

They will last a lot longer and are useful. We also encourage our children play with nature; dirt, plants, and rocks make great outdoor toys.

Do you have any tips for preserving toys? Leave a comment below!

The post 3 Ways to Help Toys Last Longer first appeared on True Aim.

Soft, colorful, and endless opportunities for imaginary play; Pom poms are an essential item if you have a busy toddler in the house.  My son can play with them for a whole hour and even his older sisters like to join in on the fun.  As they happily play with their ‘feast’, ‘bugs’, or ‘jewels’, I can get a lot done around the house.  Who knew such a simple activity would captivate my children for so long.  But, I didn’t come up with the activity on my own.

I had a little help from a new app called Knoala.  This is the perfect app for parents of young children.  Wether you’re waiting in the doctors office, taking a road trip, or just want to connect with your kids, Knoala offers access to hundreds of activity prompts for parents that require little to no set up.

When I first gave the pom poms to my toddler I didn’t expect that the activity would turn into an educational one.  My children started sorting, counting, and acting out different rolls with the pompoms.  It was a joy to watch them get along and explore while creating their own little world.

Get the FULL play prompt instructions here:

Knoala isn’t just an app it is a community.  I love how the app allows you to participate in the creation of activity ideas.  You can submit your idea to be added to the app and all activities can be shared with your friends instantly.  I’m definitely using it to plan play dates and get birthday game ideas too!

What kinds of activities does your toddler like to do?  For more simple activity ideas for kids, like us on Facebook or follow on Pinterest.

P.S. If you liked this activity prompt, be sure to check out the app for yourself!

A little bit more about Knoala….

Knoala offers thousands of fun & development-boosting activities for parents to enjoy with infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Based on your child’s age and local weather conditions, Knoala finds activities that are most suitable for you and your family. Bond with your child over games and crafts that foster artistic, cognitive, emotional, motor, sensory and language skills. Connect with thousand of parents to exchange ideas on how to keep your child happy and busy. Follow the hottest mom and dad bloggers for their expert advice on keeping your little ones entertained. With Knoala in hand, you never have to worry about your child feeling bored again. All content on Knoala are free, and always will be.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The post Simple Toddler Activity: Pom Pom Play first appeared on True Aim.

What is confidence?  This is an important question to consider before we start to teach our children. The answer will help you discover the right way to instill this valuable trait.  Dusty, the main character in Disney Planes displays a great example of the confidence I want to instill in my children.

For our family, confidence is NOT thinking highly of ourselves. It’s NOT thinking that we can do anything we want. Confidence is being sure of our beliefs and knowing our abilities, our strengths and weaknesses.

We start teaching our children confidence at a very young age. Our son is 2-years-old and each day brings new opportunities to help cultivate character.

I Can’t Do It

How many times has your child said this phrase?  Sometimes I let my children say it.  I let them struggle, get frustrated and work out a problem on their own without intervening.  Overcoming that I-Can’t-Do-It situation on their own can quickly build confidence.

In Disney Planes, Dusty exemplifies this struggle principal.  He doesn’t give up and keeps going even when thing start getting really tough.

Now I don’t do this for everything.  There are some things that they just can’t do because of their physical and mental restrictions.  This is also an essential part of confidence.  There are things that we will never be able to do and it wouldn’t be wise of us to struggle through it or even attempt to do it.  For example, I know that I will never be a professional basketball player, and most likely, my children won’t either.  We are just short people.

Part of having confidence is knowing our limits and that it’s wise to say “I can’t do it” or ask for help sometimes.  Again, Dusty knows when he can’t go on or needs some extra help from his friends.

Standing Your Ground

What you believe defines who you are.  If you believe that there is a fire in the room, you will act based on that belief.  If I started yelling that there was a fire, when you could see that their wasn’t one, you would also act based on your belief even though it was contrary to what I was saying.  You would stand your ground.

One thing that my children haven’t experienced yet is defending their beliefs.  This skill is part of my definition of confidence, so how do I start to cultivate this in my children when they don’t experience it?

I educate and make them practice.  We explain what is right and wrong to our children and help them remember through discipline and roll play.  Having clear consequences for their wrong actions does more to instill beliefs than anything else I can do.  After that, we sometimes describe situations and ask them what the right thing to do is.

This is my favorite thing in the #PlanestotheRescue Movie.  No matter what other people are doing, Dusty stands up for what he believes is right.  He puts other people ahead of his own well being and isn’t afraid of being ridiculed for it.

That’s how I want my son to act, but I know it will take a lot of work.  So I start with the little things at 2-years-old like sharing his favorite new Planes toy that we got at Walmart or putting on his shoes by himself, climbing some rocks…

falling down…

and getting back up to try again.

Make sure you check out Disney’s Planes Fire & Rescue in theaters July 18th!

The post Disney Planes: Inspiring Confidence in Young Children first appeared on True Aim.

I came downstairs to the sound of someone running.  Dumbfounded by the sight, I stood at the bottom of the stair watching for a moment.  My eldest daughter was running back and forth from the living room to our family room, full bore.

After a couple minutes I finally asked her what she was up to.  “I’m practicing so I can be faster than the kids at church.”  she said panting.

“Sweetie, they’re faster than you because they’re older.”  I explained.

“That’s why I have to practice Mom.  I’ll practice everyday and then when I’m 7 (she’s 6), I’ll be faster.”

Although I usually discourage running in the house, it was raining that day.  What kind of Mom would I be if I interrupted such determination?  I couldn’t help but be proud of her confidence.

As a Mom of two girls, I’m always looking for positive ways to build up their self-confidence and character.  In a world where women are constantly pushed to focus on their looks, I want to encourage my daughters to value inner beauty first and appearances loosely.

While building confidence in young girls is easy to do.  The right type of confidence is harder to instill.  It’s an easy thing to tell my daughters they are beautiful, but what they really need to hear and experience is that they have purpose and meaning more valuable than anything in this world.

To do that, we expose them to challenges and new tasks that aren’t easy, letting them struggle and feel accomplishment when they finally finish.  We try to give them real responsibility, and have them work hard for a goal.  We let them dream and help them make those dreams become a reality.  But most importantly, we communicate our love for them no matter the outcome of their efforts.

That’s why I’m so excited to announce that with a shared vision of unleashing confidence through accomplishment, LEGO® Friends has teamed up with Girls on the Run® (GOTR), a physical activity-based positive youth development program to inspire girls everywhere to achieve their limitless potential.

LEGO® is our favorite toy by far.  So when the new LEGO® Friends line came out our girls were ecstatic.  LEGO® Friends blend the iconic LEGO construction experience with stories, settings and themes designed to meet my children’s desire for creativity and a highly-detailed, character-based world.  My daughters definitely relate better to these LEGOS® and so they play with them even more than before.

Since its launch in 2012, LEGO® Friends have dramatically increased the number of girls everywhere building with LEGO bricks and enjoying the benefits of construction play.

That’s important because construction play allows children to be creative in a way that combines logic and reasoning with playfulness and imagination.  This type of play helps them grasp the importance of persistence as they develop a sense of pride for their completed model or their own creation.

But that’s not all my girls learn when they play with their LEGO® Friends sets especially if they collaborate.

Since Audrey is the oldest, when she works on building a set with her little sister Emma, she becomes a leader and director.  If she’s too bossy, Emma won’t want to cooperate.  If she encourages, Emma feels good about herself and Audrey’s position as a leader.  As they work and play together, a special bond forms that is invaluable.

Sharing, taking turns, and complementing each other are things my daughters learn when they play with LEGOS®.  Sure, they could play other things and learn the same thing, but LEGO® enhances their spatial visualization skills all at the same time.  And nothing is quite like building your own little world.

My daughters seem to carry a lot of their day-to-day routines into their play.  This is awesome to see as a parent because I know the healthy habits I’m working to instill are actually getting through!

As they built their new LEGO® Friends set, I asked them if they could own and run their own business what would it be?  Audrey wanted to own a dress shop and Emma thought a candy store would be sweet.  Both of those choices fit them perfectly and I can’t wait to encourage them to go after it!

I love inquiring about all their creations and watching them unravel a story with their LEGO® figures.  There is something so satisfying about getting to know the imagination of your child.

It’s like getting to glimpse into their soul.

What do your children like to build with their LEGOS®?  Do you have any tips on building confidence in children?  I’d love to hear about it!

Thanks for reading!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

The post Building Confidence in Girls Through Play #LEGOFriendsCGC first appeared on True Aim.

How are you going to celebrate Earth Day?  How about exploring nocturnal animals and hosting your own shadow puppet show?  We did all of that with our Green Kids Crafts Discovery Box!

We received a Nocturnal Animals Discovery Box packed with 4 different eco-friendly crafts.  Even the box looked fun and my children were so excited to get started.

First, we got our shadow puppets ready for the puppet show and talked about which animals were nocturnal.

They were surprised to learn that kangaroos are mostly nocturnal.  My daughter picked out the owl right away because she knew that animal was.

Next we turned the lantern craft into a group project.  We discussed the bees and moths on the lantern and how they can be nocturnal.

The lantern came with a flame-less candle light and looked so pretty in the dark.

Finally we tried the stuffed owl.  It was a little hard for my eldest daughter to make the legs with the rubber bands, so I helped out.

Our box also came with a bonus craft.  Reusing an old plastic bottle from the recycling bin, we made a glow-in-the-dark firefly!

Even more activities and craft ideas were included in the Nocturnal Animals Activity Guide that I downloaded from the link on the back of my activity card.

As you can see in the video below, my children loved their Discovery Box and would have played with it for hours if I’d let them!  It was a great Earth Day activity; to teach and learn all about the animals in our world.

About Green Kid Crafts

Green Kid Crafts delights over 10,000 kids across North America each month with fun, creative and eco-friendly craft and STEM activities (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), delivered right to their door through the company’s subscription program!  Every month’s Discovery Box is packed with 3-4 unique and engaging activity kits designed to foster a child’s creativity and confidence while helping to raise the nation’s next generation of creative leaders.

For kids ages 3-10, their award-winning products celebrate creativity and activates thinking, questioning, inquiring, and original creation.  Each month brings a new theme; past themes have included Mad Scientist, Nocturnal Animals, Around the World, Outer Space, and Feathered Friends.

Green Kid Crafts is a mom-owned, green company founded by Penny Bauder, a mom of two and an environmental activist from Alaska.   Her program has won a variety of awards including Dr. Toy’s Best Green Products of 2013, PTPA Seal of Approval, a recommendation from Parents’ Choice, MACT Excellence and MACT Green Awards and Red Tricycle’s Award for Most Awesome Subscription Service.

An Earth Friendly Company

Green Kid Crafts is certified carbon neutral, Green America Approved, a member of 1% for the Planet, and has won numerous awards and designations for its responsible business practices. You can also read more about their “eco ingredients” online.

If you like crafting, creativity, and natural parenting you can subscribe to their free newsletter and get 12 Kids Activity guides for free!  A $72 retail value!

Subscriptions are available in month-to-month, 3, 6 and 12 month durations, and also make great gifts!  Subscriptions start at just $16.95 / month, and sibling subscriptions are also available.  The company also offers single Discovery Boxes, Creativity Kits, Science Kits, and Birthday Party activities and favors.

Save $5 off your order with code EARTH

Hurry! Expires 4/30

How to Make a Shadow Puppet Theater

This was my kids’ favorite part of the whole night!  We made our own shadow puppet theater under the dining room table.  Covering the table with a white sheet and resting the light pen that came in our Green Kid Crafts box on a stool, the kids played for an hour.

They took turns putting on a show and experimenting with the shadows.  You can see a clip of their shows below!

Green Kid Crafts Giveaway!

In celebration of Earth Day, Green Kid Crafts are giving away a 3 month subscription to this award winning program!  Just enter the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More Chances to win!

I’ve partnered with Contest Patti to bring you another chance to win a 3 month subscription!  You can read her review here.  The giveaway is open to the US residents aged 18+ only. It starts on 04/09/14 at 0001 PST and ends 05/12/14 at 2359 PST. Enter using the form below.

The post Giveaway! Celebrate Earth Day with Green Kids Crafts and a Shadow Puppet Theater! first appeared on True Aim.

Helping with the housework gives children purpose and confidence, but motivating them to do the work can be tricky.  Maybe that’s why my most popular Kids Activity of 2013 is all about cleaning games!

I’m so thankful for what this past year has brought especially being a member of the Kid Blogger Network.  That’s why I’ve joined over 30 bloggers to feature my best Activity of the year.  If you like mine then you’ll love all the Kids Activities you find below!

Have a great Kids Activity you’d like to share?  Simply link it up below and add the button to your post, linked back here.

Thanks so much for reading and have a very Happy New Year!

The post True Aim’s Best Kids Activity of 2013 first appeared on True Aim.

Michelle at Fun on a Dime // Janel at A Mom’s Take

Janine at True Aim // Julie at A Year with Mom & Dad // Maureen at Wisconsin Mommy

A big thank you to American Girl for donating a beautiful My American Girl doll to one of our readers!  These gorgeous dolls make a perfect Christmas gift for the young girls on your shopping list.

Know someone who would love an American Girl doll for Christmas? Enter below for a chance to win one!  You can shop for American Girl dolls, seasonal dresses and accessories, and even matching dresses for girls at AmericanGirl.com

Win a My American Girl Doll & Sparkle Dress!

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Rules: Enter in the Rafflecopter Widget Above. If you have problems using rafflecopter, update your web browser and javascript. For full rules of entry, view the Rafflecopter “Terms & Conditions”
Note, this prize will not ship in time for Christmas.

The post American Girl Doll Giveaway! first appeared on True Aim.

Why kids love puppets is still a mystery to me.  They know that it’s my finger doing the movements and my mouth making the funny voice.  Yet, they think it is hilarious!

I’ve figured out how to use their fascination with puppets to motivate them to learn!  I’ll show you how to make some simple finger puppets with a Pom Tree Kids craft set and give you this super secret motivational trick.

My youngest daughter Emma was so excited to open her new craft kit.  She was about to rip into it, but I told her I had to take a picture first

DIY Finger Puppets

First, the girls colored and decorated their puppet bug shapes with markers and stickers.  I loved the fact that no glue was needed for any of the decorations!  Even the pompoms were easy to stick on.

Next, I helped the girls wrap a fuzzy pipe cleaner around their fingers to hold their puppets.

Then we attached the pipe cleaners to the back of their bug puppets with tape to hold them in place.

It was that easy!  Emma started to play with them right away; making them talk and sing to each other.

And of course, we had to have a puppet show!  The three bug fairies were trying to find flower food, but the evil wasp kept trying to sting them.  And the fun didn’t stop there!

The girls made bracelets with their sets too and dressed up to put on another show.  Although Emma is only three, she made a headband all by herself!

I let them play with their puppets until nap time, but I frequently pull them out for learning-time.

I tell them, “Mister Smarty bug needs help learning his numbers  (letters, or even how to set the table).  Can you be his teacher?”  Mister Smarty Bug will try really hard, but most of the time he gets the answers wrong and needs someone really smart to show him the right way.

With a little silliness thrown in, Mister Smarty Bug becomes a powerful teaching and motivating tool.

Pom Tree Kids also sent us some amazing Play House Craft Kits that promote problem solving and creative play.

They are generously giving away these sets and more in 10 gift baskets worth $50 each!  Enter to win below!

 Pom Tree Kids gift Baskets Giveaway!

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For more easy crafts for kids, follow Pom Tree Kids on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter!

Thanks for reading!

The post Easy Crafts for Kids: DIY Finger Puppets with Pom Tree Kids & Giveaway! first appeared on True Aim.